The Deal Economy: Predictions and Perspectives

Sep. 21, 2021
9:00 am - 6:00 pm

About This Event

The environment for M&A is constantly changing, and opportunistic dealmakers have realized that they must be creative to stay competitive and scale their businesses. Some of this thinking has been accelerated by the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, but what remains constant is the fact that private equity still has record amounts of capital to deploy, and dealmakers are being more creative and disruptive than ever before.

Have buyers’ and sellers’ expectations changed? With additional challenges and increased risk in every transaction, how have dealmakers refreshed their toolbox? What type of deal structures are favorable in the current market conditions? Will SPACs continue to play a significant role in the M&A market?

Join The Deal and a roster of senior corporate executives, private equity and institutional investors, and corporate advisers for The Deal Economy: Predictions and Perspectives. This event explores the opportunities, obstacles, and risks dealmakers face in the current environment and how to navigate through them.

The Hybrid Event Experience

ATTEND IN-PERSON AND EXPECT…


A safe place to connect and converse
– To ensure a healthy, productive experience and per New York City guidelines, proof of Covid-19 vaccination will be required and must be shown upon entry. Additionally, the Events Shield, established in accordance with our parent company, Euromoney Institutional Investor, adds a further layer of best practice standards and guidelines.


Access to a stellar line-up of leading keynotes and speakers
– A unique opportunity to be in the room with and engage directly with influential leaders on stage and during the event.


Continental breakfast and seated socially distanced lunch
– Enjoy fine dining and great conversation with delegates, speakers and sponsors at the historic Metropolitan Club New York.



Live, in-person networking
– Gain access to a distinguished audience of your peers, clients and friends in a Covid-secure setting as we return to in-person events.

 



Meet in person with our sponsorship group
– Connect with key leaders and innovators in their markets and learn more about synergies between your firms.


All the benefits of our virtual offering
– Delegates attending on the day will also have access to all the benefits of our virtual platform listed below.

CAN’T ATTEND IN-PERSON, THEN ATTEND VIRTUALLY

We are allowing individuals who can’t attend the event in person to join us online. All registrations will be by application only and include:


Live streaming of our agenda
– Watch the phenomenal lineup of keynote interview and panel discussions.

 

 

 

Plentiful networking opportunities – Use our messaging function to reach out to peers and clients or make use of the AI matchmaking functionality to make new connections! Rate connections and download the full contact details for easy follow ups post-event.

Speakers

Elizabeth A. Mily
Executive Vice President, Strategy & Business Development, Bristol Myers Squibb

Elizabeth Mily is Executive Vice President, Strategy & Business Development, at Bristol Myers Squibb. In this role, she oversees the company strategy and all business development activities, including strategic partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, as well as other strategic initiatives.

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Vivianne Akriche
Managing Director, Eurazeo
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Alexandros Aldous
General Counsel, Corporate Secretary & Chief Government Relations Officer, The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc.
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Jeffrey Armbrister
Head of Direct Equity Investments, Hamilton Lane
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Doug Barnard
Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary, CF Industries
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Guy Barudin
Director, Chardan
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Barry Blake
Global Co-Head of Healthcare Investment Banking, SVB Leerink
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Yue Bonnet
Principal, The Carlyle Group
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Desiree Castillejos
Chief Strategy Officer & VP of Corporate Development, Kimball Electronics
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David Dobkin
CFO, LifeSci Acquisition Corp.
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Bruce Fenton
Partner, Troutman Pepper
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Jaime Forsyth
Managing Director, Monomoy Capital Partners
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Deepak Gupta
Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy, Covanta
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Jelena Guzenko
Head of Mergers & Acquisitions, Americas, Siemens Energy
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Josh Hochberg
General Manager, Edelman
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Michael Hyun
Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, PSEG
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Jennifer Lee
Principal, Edison Partners
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Heather Madland
Partner, Huron Capital
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Samuel Maizel
Chair, Distressed Health Care, Dentons
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Chandradev Mehta
Director, Mergers and Acquisitions, LyondellBasell Industries
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Tania Moyron
Partner, Dentons
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J. Neely
Managing Director, Mergers & Acquisitions Lead, Accenture Strategy
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Meahgan O’Grady
Director, Business Development, Palladium Equity Partners
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Jason Osborn
Partner, Winston & Strawn
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Julia Papastavridis
Managing Director, Aon
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Ronald Prague
Chief Legal Officer, Synchronoss Technologies, Inc.
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Eklavya Saraf
Global Head of SPAC Listings & Managing Director of New Listings, Nasdaq
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Melissa Scanlan
Vice President, IP & Antitrust, T-Mobile
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Kimberly Smith
Partner and Global Chair, Corporate Department, Katten
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Jason Strife
Head of Private Equity & Junior Capital, Churchill Asset Management
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Christina Ungaro
VP, Head of Corporate Development, Wind River
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Brian Walters
Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Matthews International
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Derek Zaba
Partner and Co-Chair, Shareholder Activism and Corporate Defense Practice, Sidley
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Agenda

Panel Sessions
8:00am – 8:45am
Registration, Networking & Breakfast
8:45am – 8:50am
Opening Remarks
8:50am – 9:40am
State of the Market: Opportunistic Dealmakers are Ready for the Recovery

The M&A landscape is constantly changing, and the evolution of the dealmaking environment has been accelerated by the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, unprecedented stimulus packages and the change in U.S. administration. What sectors should opportunistic dealmakers be exploring? What obstacles or pitfalls may affect deal flow? In this new environment, how can dealmakers justify and position a proposed merger for a deal that seemingly can’t get done and what are key strategic steps that should be built into the plan? What does the new regulatory approval landscape look like? What role will M&A play in the overall global economic recovery?

Moderator: J. Neely, Managing Director, Mergers & Acquisitions Lead, Accenture Strategy

Panelist: Barry Blake, Global Co-Head of Healthcare Investment Banking, SVB Leerink

Panelist: Yue Bonnet, Principal, The Carlyle Group

Panelist: Jelena Guzenko, Head of Mergers & Acquisitions, Americas, Siemens Energy

Panelist: Julia Papastavridis, Managing Director, Aon

Panelist: Melissa Scanlan, Vice President, IP & Antitrust, T-Mobile

9:45am – 10:10am
Keynote Interview

Interviewer: Armie Lee, Reporter, The Deal

Elizabeth A. Mily, Executive Vice President, Strategy & Business Development, Bristol Myers Squibb

10:10am – 10:25am
Networking Break
10:25am – 11:15am
Private Equity: Exploring Investor Expectations

Private Equity professionals continue to feel bullish and have a positive outlook for M&A, due to favorable credit conditions and large amounts of available dry powder. The market is seeing PE firms gravitating toward partnerships, co-investing and structured equity investments to remain flexible and creative. In such a competitive market, returns should be compressing but why are they not? What are the pressure points that are moving forward, or holding back the industry as a whole? How are ESG and investor demands shaping the way investors are approaching deals? What are investor expectations for the rest of the year and into 2022?

Moderator: Bruce K. Fenton, Partner, Troutman Pepper

Panelist: Vivianne Akriche, Managing Director, Eurazeo

Panelist: Jeffrey Armbrister, Head of Direct Equity Investments, Hamilton Lane

Panelist: Jason Strife, Head of Private Equity & Junior Capital, Churchill Asset Management

11:20am – 12:10pm
Corporate Dealmakers: Broadening M&A Options to Stay Competitive

It’s clear that M&A will continue to be a key strategic pillar for companies, with dealmakers expecting mergers and acquisitions to contribute significantly to their growth over the next few years. A combination of defensive and offensive M&A strategies should develop as companies attempt to preserve existing markets, accelerate recovery, and position themselves for growth. How are buyers assessing valuations amid the recovery? Have sellers’ expectations changed? What type of deal structures are favorable in the current market conditions? With an awareness for increased risks, what type of insurance and risk mitigation strategies are being established to protect all parties in the deal?

Moderator: David Marcus, Senior Writer, The Deal

Panelist: Deepak Gupta, Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy, Covanta

Panelist: Chandradev Mehta, Director, Mergers and Acquisitions, LyondellBasell Industries

Panelist: Christina Ungaro, VP, Head of Corporate Development, Wind River

12:10pm – 1:10pm
Networking Luncheon
1:10pm – 1:55pm
Post-Merger Integration Strategies: Optimizing Due Diligence and Pre-Close Activities

Successful integration is imperative to avoiding the risks of a merger or acquisition, and it is complicated by the fact that every deal is unique, and no two deals can be integrated the same way. Having a strong and proactive M&A integration plan is imperative to ensuring that the deal lives up to its projected value, and post-merger planning must start very early in the deal process. Companies must develop an integration strategy that includes a fundamental rethink of due diligence and discovery to ensure that the right skills are engaged at the right time to deliver a comprehensive plan for day one and beyond.

Moderator: Nikitha Sattiraju, Reporter, The Deal

Panelist: Desiree Castillejos, Chief Strategy Officer & VP of Corporate Development, Kimball Electronics

Panelist: Brian Walters, Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Matthews International

Panelist: Alexandros Aldous, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary & Chief Government Relations Officer, The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc.

Panelist: Ronald Prague, Former Chief Legal Officer, Synchronoss Technologies, Inc.

2:00pm – 2:45pm
The State of Middle Market Deal Flow

Companies that transformed through innovation and technology during the pandemic have emerged stronger, with increased efficiency and new products and services that disrupted the market. Valuations remain high, targets are coming from a growing pool of sellers, paused deals are re-emerging and private equity still has record amounts of capital to deploy. What role will M&A play in the overall global economic recovery? What sectors are dealmakers looking at for growth? What is the outlook for fundraising, and alternative deal structures? Will cross-border and cross-sector deals present opportunity during the recovery? What obstacles may affect deal flow?

Moderator: Kimberly Smith, Partner and Global Chair, Corporate Department, Katten

Panelist: Jaime Forsyth, Managing Director, Monomoy Capital Partners

Panelist: Jennifer Lee, Principal, Edison Partners

Panelist: Heather Madland, Partner, Huron Capital

Panelist: Meahgan O’Grady, Director, Business Development, Palladium Equity Partners

2:45pm – 3:00pm
Networking Break
3:00pm – 3:45pm
The Current State of Shareholder Activism

This past year has seen successes an array of campaigns by shareholder activists with an increased focus on ESG practices and several campaigns with a strong M&A theme. How important are ESG themes in an activism campaign? How is the M&A market currently being influenced by shareholder activism and vice versa? With the recent influx of SPAC entities on public exchanges, will we soon see a wave of SPAC activism? How do investors and proxy advisor firms think about these issues?

Moderator: Derek Zaba, Partner and Co-Chair, Shareholder Activism and Corporate Defense Practice, Sidley

Panelist: Ben Axler, Founder and Chief Investment Officer, Spruce Point Capital Management

Panelist: Josh Hochberg, General Manager, Edelman

Panelist: David Rosewater, Managing Director, Investment Banking Division, Morgan Stanley

3:50pm – 4:35pm
Evaluating Transactions Based on ESG and Corporate Sustainability Transparency

ESG initiatives can severely impact profits and must be considered during the due diligence process of a transaction. How are buyers and investors evaluating targets based on ESG and sustainability transparency? How can these efforts affect valuations and sale processes? How do sellers ensure they are maximizing their ESG initiatives and show they are making progress on sustainability initiatives? What are the most important things for sellers to address when it comes to ESG?

Moderator: Ronald Orol, Senior Editor, The Deal

Panelist: Doug Barnard, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary, CF Industries

Panelist: Michael Hyun, Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, PSEG

4:40pm – 5:20pm
How are SPACs Impacting the M&A Landscape?

SPACs, also known as blank-check companies, have seen a recent resurgence but with new regulatory scrutiny, high-profile enforcement actions and high redemptions, longstanding concerns about the public shell companies have been revived. The SPAC market may have cooled a bit, but dealmakers are confident that the market will work out its current issues. How is the M&A market reacting the recent downturn? What will it take to revive the market?

Moderator: Jason Osborn, Partner, Winston & Strawn

Panelist: Guy Barudin, Director, Chardan

Panelist: David Dobkin, CFO, LifeSci Acquisition Corp.

Panelist: Eklavya Saraf, Global Head of SPAC Listings & Managing Director of New Listings, Nasdaq

Roundtable Session
2:00pm – 3:00pm
Healthcare
  • Investors have maintained a high level of interest in the pharmaceuticals, life sciences and healthcare services sectors.
  • Will M&A deal activity and valuations continue to run high?
  • Who will be the winners and losers, post-vaccine and post-crisis?
  • Continued growth is expected in cross-sector deals with digital and technology companies.

Moderators: Samuel Maizel, Chair, Distressed Health Care, Dentons and Tania Moyron, Partner, Dentons

5:20pm – 6:20pm
Cocktail Reception

On-Site Conference Details

Date: Tuesday, September 21, 2021

Time: Registration opens at 8:30am; First session starts at 9:00am

Vaccination Requirement: To ensure a healthy, productive experience and per New York City guidelines, proof of Covid-19 vaccination will be required and must be shown upon entry. Additionally, the Events Shield, established in accordance with our parent company, Euromoney Institutional Investor, adds a further layer of best practice standards and guidelines. More details regarding this will be included in communications to registered delegates.

Location: Metropolitan Club New York, One East Sixtieth Street, New York, NY 10022

Dress code: Business Formal: No jeans, leggings or sneakers. Men must wear jacket & tie.

Health & Safety Advisory

If you have a fever, cough, shortness of breath, feeling unwell or suspect to have symptoms of COVID-19, please seek medical attention and do not attend the event.

Health & Safety Measures

We are closely working with the event venue to keep you as safe as possible during the event and we will be providing further information in due course on the precautions we will be taking. This information will be updated regularly to reflect local guidance.

Additionally, the Events Shield, established in accordance with our parent company, Euromoney Institutional Investor, adds a further layer of best practice standards and guidelines, which will be applied across all The Deal events. This comprehensive set of enhanced measures has been designed to provide our clientele with the confidence that at any Deal event around the world, we are striving to provide the highest standards of safety, hygiene, cleanliness and quality.

Physical Distancing

Events will maintain a maximum capacity and density of participants in accordance with relevant official government and regional guidance.

Health and Hygiene

The emphasis will be on encouraging good personal health and hygiene with additional handwashing and sanitation stations available. We will work with the venue to ensure we maintain the highest standards of hygiene and cleanliness.

Protection and Defense

All participants, partners and staff must abide by the health and safety procedures and protocols we put in place.

Communication and Alerts

We will be communicating our health and safety standards, procedures and event guidance to all involved in advance and on the day of the event.

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